The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-09-11

correspondents. Every London journal that
last ten years has published its specials proud
~ In book form. 30 the leading papers print
ed their accounts OF tho Franco-Prussian war.
But no London paper could be induced to col
lect from it's columns the fiction serials which
appeared % war news while the American war
went on.
Mr.. Gladstone was only human. He read
what all his countrymen read, and he believed
the London Times whom he said that Jefferson
Davis had created an army and navy and
nation. How worthy Of that journal now 10
taunt him with tho folly Of having credited It's
own columnsl The only competition which
prevailed was to send the longest letters By
the fastest steamers-then slow enouzh-and
crowd into them the largest number OF un-
truths demonstrating that Lincoln was an ass.
that Seward was Q wordy fool. that Grant was
q drunken idiot that JEFF Davis was an In
spired statesman. that Lee was demigod
of war, that tho Northern soldiers were awk-
ward yeomanry, raw-boned. half-naked, vel
iow-skinned Yankees, who, to use Lord PALM
arston's actual words. were unfortunately
rapid" at Bull Run-in tho retreat: that the
handful OF Aboitionists who had made slavery
the cause OF the conflict, were brutal fanatics
matched In England by q coterie OF liberty
loving men. harmless because England had
got rid OF her black slaves for cash, and had
not awakened to the consciousness that abe
had millions Of white ones. II any hunter for
historical bric.a-brao should explore the Lon
don journals from 1858 10 1865. he would ind
treasures SURPRISING In grotesauoness tho
most extraordinary antiquities that science
has yet exhumed in the far East, and more
horrible when examined for evidence OF truth,
than the idols OF China whom examined for fea-
lures OF deity.
Was Mr.. Gladstone to blame because he
could not discern this conspiracy Of the Eng
lish press to distort, deny, and delay the facts
OF tho American WARP II there was to DO an
other great State on the American continent
and that State were to build It's foundation on
the closest possible commercial alliance with
Great Britain, was tho Chancellor Of the Ex-
cheduer to DO blind and deaf and dumb In its
behalf7 Above all else Mr.. Gladstone is an
Englishman. To him II was patriotism to SYM
pathize with the South. that was to send Eng
land cotton and buy only English manufac-
lures. It was more than patriotism; 1t was
common sense. Moreover. he was courageous
and STRAIGHTFORWARD in so doing ut time when
his colleagues In the Cabinet were secretly ex-
erting every influence at their command to in.
iure the North while ofhciallythey we're utter
ing the language Of diplomatic hypocrisy.
These three reasons-his family history rep
resented In his instincts, his free trade theory
demanding tho American market for English
manufactures and his dependence on SELF
polluted wells OF information about the prog
ross OF events-would have made any man In
Mr.. 9ladstones situation ct that time sym
pathizer with the South. He has, moreover,
frankly acknowledged that he was ignorant as
well rs prejudiced. When his prodigious at
tainments are considered-their scope. their
variety. their exactness; when the diversity Of
his political cares is taken into account: when
the responsibilities he has borne for more than
half . century are recalled-is It marvellous
that he should not have known that with the
wealth enclosed IN the bosom OF tho Atlantic
and Middle States American manufactures
were inevitable. and that tho South would
have In time to become herself manufacture
ing community In self-defence2 Is it strange.
when we read the lauehable errors Of Ameri-
can geography and history which abound in
the English press to this day. that he should
have moderated tho potentially OF the States
bound to become paramount by reason Of their
soil and situationp
1t Is perfectly safe to say that there Is not
British statesman living even now. only him
excepted. who can state the substance OF the
Constitution OF the United States or define the
limitations OF the Federal and tho reserved
rights Of the State powers. The London Times
Is actually printing in this hour series Of
American letters written very much as Stanley
might write from tho Congo and as novel to
the mass Of its readers ss II they wore descrip-
tive Of mills and mines, Of schools and institu-
fions In the moon. To many English readers
they arc as absorbing and fascinating as the
wonders Of Jules yerne-and as convincing.
When the truth is all told. It is clear that Mr..
Gladstone is prominently the Englishman to
4 be invited to the Constitutional centennial at
Philadelphia For he Ia the first Englishman
to own that he wronged tho republic through
ignorance. He Ii the first to apply to British
politics the principles OF equality and freedom
which tho experience Of the republic has ap-
proved for all The world. He has been slow,
for his mental operations are slow In changing
his convictions. But no has never turned
back. Had he walked moro rapidly he would
have left his countrymen behind. Nothing,
after tho applause Of his own coun-
try. touches him moro to the heart
than American admiration and confidence.
He has grown on all subjects. Compare his
essay on Church and State with his speeches
for the abolition Of the State Church In Ire
land. Road his Vatican pamphlets in the light
OF his defence Of tho Irish Catholics against
tho Orangemen. Contrast his plea for Ire
lands Legislative independence with his de-
nunciation OF Parnell. whom, SO few years ago.
no cheerily sent to prison. He IL not to be
charged with frivolous vacillation. He has
taken no step backward. It Is greater to have
become wise man than to have been born
one; and II Gladstone wronged the American
Republic through Ignorance. deceived by lights
not OF his lighting he has earned the homage
OF all honest men by honesty. courage. and
that deliberate change Of opinion which indi-
oates. not the hippanoy Of the demagogue but
the firm growth Of leader Of civilized ma
tons. ABB.
The OmeiaI orsp Report
WASHINGTON, Sept. 1O.-The statistical report
Of the Department Of Agriculture for September pre-
heavy reduction In condition OF cotton corn, and
potatoes with little change In the status Of wheat and
other small grains
The high promise OF the cotton crop has been reduced
pontA s3a s3s tho effect OF excessive
rains the Atlantic coas, and drought in the Gulf
statea Serious shedding Of bols resulted both
causeA' Tho boil worm and caterpillar have wide dis
tributton doing some damage already and